Norwalk offers free HIV testing for Valentine’s Day

NORWALK — For those who haven’t found the perfect Valentine’s Day gift yet, Norwalk Health Department officials have a suggestion: get tested for STDs.

The Health Department is offering free HIV and sexually transmitted diseases testing Tuesday from 10 a.m. to noon and 2 to 4 p.m. in honor of Valentine’s Day, the holiday of love.

“At this time of year when everyone is thinking about the people they love and the people they’re in relationships with, it’s a great time to promote this and encourage people to be open and honest about their status and sexual health,” said Theresa Argondezzi, a health educator with the Norwalk Health Department. “Show your love for the person in your life, and know your status and share that with them.”

The department offers testing for STDs all year, but is hosting the event in conjunction with Valentine’s Day in order to promote the service. No appointment is necessary during the event, which will be held at the health department at 137 East Avenue, next to City Hall.

The STI clinic is regularly open Monday and Friday mornings from 9 to 11:30 a.m. and Wednesday afternoons from 3 to 5:30 p.m.Appointments are not necessary during these times and there is a $10 fee for services, but Argondezzi said everyone will be provided services regardless of their ability to pay.

In 2015, the most recent data available, Argondezzi said there were four new cases of HIV in Norwalk, and a total of 335 Norwalk residents living with HIV. She said those numbers are consistent with other cities of the same size.

Data from the state Department of Public Health also shows that Norwalk falls below the state average for the number of cases of chlamydia, gonorrhea and syphilis. In 2014, there were 317 reported cases of chlamydia in Norwalk, and 43 reported cases of gonorrhea.

“We really just feel it’s really important for people to be informed, to know their status and to understand their sexual health so they can make informed choices and have open communication wtih their partners,” Argondezzi said.

Argondezzi also said that for anyone who tests positive to the rapid HIV test will be given a more inclusive test, and they will receive counseling and referrals to appropriate doctors in order to receive treatment.

“It’s important to know the health department provides those services as well,” Argondezzi said.

Across the country, STD rates have been on the rise. According to a 2015 study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2015 was the second year in a row in which increases were seen in all three nationally reported STDs — gonorrhea, chlamydia and syphilis.

Nearly 1.5 million cases of chlamydia represent the highest number of annual cases of any condition ever reported to CDC, a 6 percent increase over the previous year. At the same time, the number of reported syphilis cases increase 18 percent and gonorrhea cases increased 13 percent.

Surveillance data from the CDC shows the rates of reported cases of chlamydia and gonorrhea continue to be highest among young people aged 15-24. Both men and women are heavily affected by STDs, but women face the most serious long-term health consequences, according to the report. It is estimated that undiagnosed STDs cause infertility in more than 20,000 women each year.

For more information about the free testing, call the Norwalk Health Department at 203-854-7776, or visit the www.norwalkct.org/676/Health for information on symptoms and treatment of STDs.